perl scalars vs ruby classes

ruby_operator.rb

# I agree that Perl probably 'wins' because it just works.
# But consider how you'd make this work and what this means for less 
# trivial "save typing" problems.

var = "1"

begin
  if var > 0
    puts "yep"
  end
rescue ArgumentError
  puts "doesn't cast automatically"
end

if var.to_i > 0
  puts "Casting works.  Perl has just a scalar but \
Ruby has String and Fixnum classes for primatives.  That's about it."
end


class String
  def >(y)
    if y.class == Fixnum
      return self.to_i > y
    end
    #puts "meow"
  end
end

puts "Let's try monkey patching String.  Oh horror?  It's a feature \
that's been repeatedly lauded.  See DHH's freedom patching talk."

if var > 0
  puts "yep, we can change the way > works because it's just a method."
end